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  • Saudi Economy Contracted in 2023, But Growth Projections Unchanged for 2024

    On March 10, the Saudi General Authority for Statistics released detailed gross domestic product data for Saudi Arabia in the fourth quarter of 2023 (the previously released fourth quarter “flash” estimate contained more limited information). The data confirmed that the Saudi economy contracted in 2023. The 0.8% drop in real GDP (i.e., GDP after accounting for inflation) was largely due to the 9% contraction in the oil sector that followed the production cuts under the OPEC+ agreement. Saudi Arabia’s non-oil sector grew by 3.8% and ended the year on a relatively strong note, with growth accelerating in the fourth quarter relative to the third quarter.

  • Yellen, Saudi finance minister discuss economy, collaboration at G20 meeting

    US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen met with Saudi Arabia’s finance minister Mohammed al-Jadaan at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, a statement released by US Department of treasury on Thursday reported. Yellen and the Saudi minister discussed economic prospects of the Kingdom, the advancements made in its reform initiatives and its involvement in global and regional affairs, the statement added.

  • Saudi Arabia targets human skills as key to expanding economy at Riyadh event

    “Education is in itself the most important sector in which to invest,” Khalid Al Falih said on Thursday during his opening speech on the second and final day of the Human Capability Initiative event in Riyadh. He said that the needs for the energy sector are changing as the world shifts to cleaner methods, along with the advanced technology markets, which both demand talent for jobs that have not yet been created. This will have “a tremendous impact” on Saudi Arabia’s global competitiveness, and that is where its investment will be directed, said the minister.

  • Iran Votes: Lukewarm on Leadership, Cool on Economy

    Young Iranians under the age of 30 -- a key part of the protest movement after Amini’s death -- are particularly disapproving (61%) of their leadership. With those younger than 30 making up over 60% of Iran’s population, their view toward Iran’s leadership may prove decisive in Khamenei’s call for greater turnout and the outcome of the vote itself.

  • World Economy Has Growing Chance of Soft Landing, G-20 Says

    The global economy has a growing chance of pulling off a soft landing, finance chiefs said in a draft of the G-20’s closing statement at this week’s meeting in Brazil, citing faster-than-expected disinflation as one of the upside risks. “We note that the likelihood of a soft landing in the global economy has increased,” said the draft communique dated Feb. 23, seen by Bloomberg News. “Risks to the global economic outlook are more balanced. Upside risks include faster-than expected disinflation.”

  • New unified Gulf tourism visa to bolster Saudi economy

    In November 2023 the Gulf Cooperation Council approved a landmark unified tourist visa set to launch between 2024 and 2025. Similar to the Schengen scheme, the permit will enable tourists to travel across all six GCC member states: Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The new visa was announced by Jassim Mohammed Al-Budaiwi, GCC secretary-general, on Nov. 9, during the 40th meeting of the organization’s interior ministers in Muscat, Oman.

  • Saudi-China Collaboration in the Context of a Circular Carbon Economy: Priorities and Opportunities in the Globalization of Hydrogen Markets

    Developing clean hydrogen industries and markets are strategically crucial for Saudi Arabia and China to achieve their net-zero climate goals. Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in hydrogen development from extraction to commercialization. Different options for galvanizing clean hydrogen production are being explored, with the goal of reaching four million tons of clean hydrogen annually by 2030, most of which will be exported to major energy consumers in East Asia and Europe. China is the world’s largest producer and consumer of hydrogen. The construction of an integrated hydrogen industry by 2035 will promote the use of hydrogen across the transportation, energy storage, and industrial sectors.

  • Deep Data: The Iranian economy in 2024

    Barely two months into 2024, there are strong indications that Iran will face major challenges in sustaining a reasonable economic development path this year. The economy desperately needs investment, but there are only limited prospects of the latter given the continuation of harsh US sanctions and low odds of a diplomatic breakthrough with the west.

  • How the G20 Can Build on the World Economy’s Recent Resilience

    After several years of shocks, we expect global growth to reach 3.1 percent this year, with inflation falling and job markets holding up. This resilience provides a foundation to shift focus to the medium-term trends shaping the world economy. As our new report to the G20 makes clear, some of these trends—such as AI—hold promise to lift productivity and improve growth prospects. We badly need it—our projections for medium-term growth have declined to the lowest in decades.

  • Transformation of Saudi economy creates opportunities, Public Investment Fund official tells investors

    It is important that investors understand the long-term structural changes to the Saudi economy that are taking place and the opportunities they offer, the head of the National Development Division at the Saudi Public Investment Fund said on Thursday. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Priority forum in Miami, Jerry Todd said the three pillars of this transformation are industrialization of the economy, the development and expansion of service sectors, and the building-up of green energy capacity.